How to Move House with Kids?

Moving house is already one of life’s more stressful events. Add children to the mix and the stakes feel higher. But with the right preparation and a bit of flexibility, it’s very much doable. Here’s what actually helps.

1. Before the move

Preparation makes everything easier. The more you can sort in advance, the calmer moving day will feel.

Talk to your children early

As soon as the move is confirmed, have a conversation with your children about what’s happening. Use language that suits their age: younger children need simple, reassuring explanations; older children and teenagers may have more questions and more complex feelings about leaving friends or schools.

Let them know it’s normal to feel nervous, sad, or unsure. Acknowledge those feelings rather than brushing past them, and balance it with the things to look forward to in the new home and area.

Get them involved

Children cope better when they feel part of what’s happening rather than having it happen around them. Here are a few ways to involve them:

• Let them pack their own belongings and decorate their moving boxes.
• Ask them which toys or comforts they want to keep close during the journey.
• If you’re leaving a school or neighbourhood where they have friends, plan a small goodbye event so there’s proper closure.
• Show them photos or videos of the new house, the local park, or the new school if they’re moving.

Keep routines stable

Children find change easier when the familiar things stay the same. Try to maintain bedtimes, mealtimes, and school schedules as consistently as possible in the weeks leading up to the move, and re-establish them as quickly as you can once you’re in.

For example:

A family moving with a five-year-old makes a point of keeping bath time and bedtime stories exactly the same throughout the whole process, including moving week. The child is unsettled by the boxes and chaos during the day but settles reliably at night because that part of the routine hasn’t changed.

2. On moving day

Moving day is inevitably busy. Having a clear plan for the children helps you stay focused on the logistics.

Arrange childcare if you can

If possible, have a trusted family member, friend, or babysitter look after younger children during the heaviest part of the day. It keeps them safe, reduces their stress, and frees you up to manage the move properly.

Pack a day bag for each child

The day bag is one of the most useful things you can do. Keep it with you rather than in the removal van, and include:

• Snacks and drinks
• A favourite toy or comfort item
• A change of clothes
• Any medication they need
• A tablet or device loaded with shows or games for longer waits

Have entertainment ready

Moving day can stretch on longer than expected. Tablets, books, colouring, and travel games all help. If children are old enough, give them a small job to do that makes them feel useful without getting in the way.

For broader packing and moving day tips, our guide on how to pack when moving house covers the essentials.

3. Settling in

Once you’ve arrived, the priority shifts to helping the children feel at home as quickly as possible.

Unpack their rooms first

Before tackling the rest of the house, set up the children’s bedrooms. Familiar bedding, toys, and books help them feel settled even when the rest of the house is still in boxes. It gives them a space to retreat to while the unpacking continues around them.

Explore the new area together

Getting out of the house and exploring the neighbourhood helps children start to feel connected to where they live. Find the nearest playground, walk to the local shops, or check out the library. Small, positive discoveries make a new place feel less unfamiliar.

Give feelings space

Adjustment takes time. Some children settle quickly; others take longer. Check in regularly, listen without dismissing, and reassure them that missing the old house or old friends is completely normal. Over time, the new place will start to feel like home.

Don’t forget the practical stuff

In the middle of all of this, a few practical tasks still need to happen:

• Update your home insurance. Make sure your buildings insurance and contents insurance are updated to reflect your new address before or on moving day. Your old policy won’t automatically cover your new home. With Lemonade’s home insurance, this is straightforward to update through the app.
• Notify everyone of your new address. Our moving house address checklist covers everyone you need to inform, from the DVLA to your GP.
• Sort broadband early. Installation can take a couple of weeks. A house without Wi-Fi is difficult at the best of times. With children, it’s exponentially harder.

Before we go

Moving with children is harder than moving without them, but it’s far from impossible. Start conversations early, involve them in the process, keep the familiar parts of life consistent, and give everyone time to adjust once you’re in. The chaos of moving day passes quickly, and new memories get made faster than you’d expect.

Moving house with kids FAQs